OT: Peyton Manning Played With a Torn Quad

Submitted by MGoVoldemort on
@AdamSchefter: Broncos QB Peyton Manning played Sunday’s Divisional Playoff loss and the past month of the season with a torn right quad, per two sources. Having torn my own quad before, and barely being able to walk, I can't even begin to fathom how he played the last 4 games. I'm not here to debate where he stands in the history of the game, or whether or not he's still got it, I'm only going to say that he earned a tremendous amount of respect and admiration from me for going out there and playing with such a terrible injury. Whether or not he should've been playing is certainly open for debate.
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Marley Nowell

January 12th, 2015 at 11:42 AM ^

Manning is just too old and lacks the arm strength to count on him. Old players are more likely to get injured and are slower to recover from them. Unless the rules change to prevent the Seattle-style defense I think his time in the NFL is done.

Joined: 07/31/2008

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ijohnb

January 12th, 2015 at 11:53 AM ^

could really see the arm strength issue yesterday.  It looked like he was having trouble making simple, short throws, let alone throwing downfield.  I really like Manning, but what I saw yesterday was a player's last game.  He looked completely overmatched, and for the first time, pretty much resigned and disinterested.  He should not go the route of Brett Farve.  He has a ring, he may be the most decorated and celebrated QB in history or at least in the Top 5.  Nothing left to prove.

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Farnn

January 12th, 2015 at 12:03 PM ^

A lot of throwing power comes from the legs so if he really had a torn quad it would hinder his "arm strength".  People are too quick to jump to conclusions about players when they have a few bad games.  Anyone remember when people said Brady was on the decline at the start of this season?

Joined: 07/07/2008

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Sports

January 12th, 2015 at 12:09 PM ^

It's not arm strength that's the problem, it's his plant and rotational motion. The torque generated in that process allows the qb to throw a good pass. But he can't generate any, because his plant leg is destroyed. It has nothing to do with his arm strength.

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aplatypus

January 12th, 2015 at 1:08 PM ^

when yesterday the problem almost entirely was over throws on his deep ball. He must have over thrown Sanders at least 7 times, a few of which he was open. 

His intermediate passes were fine, and Dameryius Thomas being unable to catch hurt more for short passes than anything Manning did. 

I think at half time they showed the graphic of his passes and was like 6-8 for passes thrown under 15 yards, and 1-9 on passes thrown deeper, almost all of which were long shots to Sanders he just led him too much on.

Point is, he may not have the arm strength he used to have, but it wasn't the problem yesterday. Though obviously a hurt quad can hurt mechanics and touch which also could lead to poor throws.  

Joined: 11/02/2013

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Engin77

January 12th, 2015 at 11:43 AM ^

I can't stop laughing at him long enough to listen to anything he says.

Maybe next August, but not now.  Not after his adamant coaching change rumor/bullshit schtick.

Joined: 07/02/2008

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bluebyyou

January 12th, 2015 at 11:49 AM ^

Seems like Manning has been taking more of a beating the last few years in the form of hits from the defense even if they don't sack him.  Don't know about his torn quad, but Rodgers played well with a severely messed up calf.

Anyone playing in the NFL is tough.

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taistreetsmyhero

January 12th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^

then there's definitely a greater chance of him coming back than if his performance at the end fo the season wasn't explainable at least in part to injury.

i thought father time had come with a quickness this last part of the season, but playing through an injury is a more plausible explanation.

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CR7

January 12th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^

I knew it. He had to be. Couldn't drive off that leg so everything was an arm punt of sorts. But with the neck and now the calf, who knows if he can even handle the wear and tear anymore?



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Joined: 10/21/2012

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Perkis-Size Me

January 12th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^

He's certainly got my respect for going out there and playing through an injury. Not that he needed my respect anyway.

I know some people will point to whether or not he should be playing anymore. Good arguments can be made for both sides, but I'm certainly in the camp of wanting him to keep playing as long as he's healthy enough to do it. Throwing his postseason performance aside, it could be a very long time before we see a QB of his caliber come along again.

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LSAClassOf2000

January 12th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^

I know, Schefter and all, but he did provide this tidbit on which muscle specifically:

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Wolverine 73

January 12th, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^

Well, maybe I shouldn't blame Manning for this, and maybe this makes me a bad person, but to this day it pisses me off that (IIRC) the TN coach at the time changed his vote from Michigan to Nebraska after the bowl games, in part because he was reportedly pissed off that Woodson beat Manning for the Heisman, and that change resulted in the split NC.  This after Nebraska was undefeated only because of a lucky bounce on a pass in the endzone that a guy accidentally kicked into the air and that was caught for a TD to end a game.  Anyhow, after that, seeing Manning fail--especially in the playoffs--and seeing Michigan's own Tom Brady beat him like a drum in head to head playoff competition has always made me smile.  Yesterday was one more reason to smile.

Joined: 08/03/2009

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club2230

January 12th, 2015 at 5:28 PM ^

If a Tennessee coach votes against Michigan in 1997 then somehow it is Manning's fault?

Even if Manning thought he was robbed of the Heisman (something that I've never heard him say) why would a Michigan fan dislike him for LOSING to Woodson?

Tom Brady was on a team coached by arguably the greatest NFL coach in history.  After watching Michigan play recently it's safe to say that top notch coaching is a big deal.  No disrespect to Dungy but he is not on Belichick's level.

As Harbaugh says, it's not a good idea to compare great to great because it only means a great is diminished.

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JamieH

January 12th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^

His production just fell off the table over the last month of the season.  Denver was still a decent team, but Peyton was nowhere near himself.  And I'm not a huge Manning fan or anything.

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Zoltanrules

January 12th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^

I never root for the guy but can't deny he is a class guy who rarely mkaes excuses or gives it 100%. You could tell after the game how many Colts came up to him with sincere respect. Had he not come up with Woodson I might have even liked the guy...

Joined: 08/23/2009

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kb

January 12th, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^

when I ran track. It's not a terribly painful injury, but it does severely limit what you can do as an athlete. QB is probably the only position tou can play with that injury.

Joined: 10/31/2009

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gopoohgo

January 12th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^

predates the quad tear (supposedly occurred throwing the block on the goal line against the Chargers in December).

Certainly, you can't generate as much power with throwing on a bum leg, but his arm was shot prior to this injury.  This quad tear just make it that much worse.

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CoachBP6

January 12th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^

How do you know his arm was "shot" prior to his injury? Last year 5477 yards and 55 td's. Having no legs under you at that age puts a lot of the strain on your abdominal muscles, oblique muscles, arm, and shoulder. Basically Peyton couldnt get anything on his throws but once or twice a game. To adjust he began floating his passes a little more and still had a good season overall. An injury like a torn quad takes at least 15-20% off arm strength, possibly more atheist age. I think Peyton will heal up and then get in shape and throw. Peyton has a high standard of himself and said that he will retire if he can no longer make all of the throws. When Peyton slings it around he will be able to tell one way or another. Even if he does come back 2015 would be his final year.

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Zarniwoop

January 12th, 2015 at 1:27 PM ^

Something was wrong with Peyton from about 2/3 of the way through the season.

My guess is that he is banged up and at his age, with his loss of arm strength from nerve damage, he just couldn't cover for it all when compounded by injury.

You don't just drop off from one week to the next like he did this year without an explanation beyond "he's just old". Anyone that thinks that's what happened is just speaking (writing) like a politician.

Putting all that aside, it makes me sad. He's the best quarterback I'll likely see in my lifetime and it sucks to see what is likely the beginning of the end (either now or within a year or so most likely).

Edit: Let me back off my politician statement a hair.  Anything is possible. But, it just doesn't seem likely. He was playing really, really well and then BANG.

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BlueinLansing

January 12th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^

that both Manning and Woodson are still playing today.  Speaks to their great talents and love for playing football because neither has to at this point in their lives.

 

 

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